The relative value of a link from another website, or a “Like” from a facebook or a “Tweet” from a Twitter user can be hard to measure. While social media influence is definitely increasing in search engine ranking value, it’s still far less influential than links from authoritative websites.

SEO is all about “Links” and “Likes”. As we said in Step 2 and Step 3, Google wants to know who you talk about and who is talking about you. So you want the cool kids to point at you. You have to give them a reason.

Write something unique. Take a different angle. Then go tell people about it.

Maybe you want to write about whether people use more coupons on your product when they shop at night or during the day.

Maybe your neighborhood has the best new taco truck in town. Even if you’re selling tires, your local community wants to know about the taco truck.

Maybe you got the greatest haircut at the barber shop that’s just down the block from your real estate office.

Just write something different. Then, tell the barber, or the taco truck, or your coupon-subscribed customers about the article. Share it, tweet it, email it. When your customers like it, they’ll Link you and they’ll Like you. Google will notice.

I’ve talked before in Step 2, What Others Say About You, about the importance of quality links from outside sources. Spammy links from questionable websites will not help your website rank highly.

There are also some really bad links. If a very predictable pattern of spammy links are pointed at your website, Google can sometimes recognize you as someone who is trying to “Game the system”. Google doesn’t like to be gamed.

Penalties against websites using spammy links can be anything from dropping a page down in the rankings to disappearing altogether. But, what if you didn’t intend for those links to be created? Or, what if you want to get rid of them, but don’t know how?

Many folks have gotten excited about the Google Disavow tool. It allows you to tell Google “That link pointing to me is unwanted. It’s not mine and I don’t like it.”

Don’t use the Google Disavow tool yourself.

It’s tempting, but all of the SEO research I’ve read says that it is a dangerous weapon in the hands of a novice. If you’re reading this guide, you’re probably a novice. There are a lot of ways to get rid of bad links to your website. If you absolutely need to Google Disavow tool, you probably need professional SEO help first.

So, why would I bring it up? Hopefully I’m the first person to tell you about it. Now you won’t stumble onto it on your own and make a mess for yourself.

Ever read a boring article? Was it something that seemed like the author was forced to do as a term paper for school?

Now think about an article that was written by someone who was excited. They wrote with expression, used colorful imagery, and really drew you into the story with emotion.

That writer loved what they were writing about. This is how you engage a reader.

If you love Thai food, dance, and electronic music, find a way to tie your favorite things in with your local market. Write with the emotion of someone who is attached to these things. You’ll find that far more people respond to an emotionally-charged piece than a textbook post.